Nipsey & Krista Harper
What do a cat clock, a bright pink jumpsuit and an E.T. figurine have in common?
They’re all among the many unique treasures to be found at Harrisburg’s newest vintage shop, The Rummagers.
Those items are just a few of the many, many… many toys, clothes, vinyl records and other collectibles that husband and wife duo Krista Harper and Nipsey, of Harrisburg, have hunted and curated over the years.
In 2019, the pair decided to make their hobby a business and opened The Rummagers, starting out by vending at nearby antique shops. Most recently, the business sold items in Funky Finds & Grinds in Lemoyne.
However, in mid-September, The Rummagers took the leap and opened their own shop. At their store, located on the 1400-block of N. 3rd St., they offer their one-of-a-kind-finds in Harrisburg.
“It’s our space, and we can finally do it the way we’ve always wanted to,” Harper said. “It feels fantastic.”
Harper has been collecting since she was young—her family always loved hunting down a good deal. The same goes for Nipsey, the longtime radio host of “The People’s Morning Show” on 105.7, The X. When he’s not on the air, he’s thrifting, and his collection has been growing for years.
“We’ve been collecting all our lives,” he said. “So, we didn’t necessarily have to go out and find a bunch of inventory because we had it.”
The pair believes that anyone can walk into their shop and find something of interest, whether it’s a nostalgic toy or item from their childhood, a baseball card or unique piece of clothing or home decor.
The whole idea behind The Rummagers is to save things from eras past, recycle them and give them new life, they explained. Harper and Nipsey love the idea of saving castaway treasures from the landfill.
“We want to make sure those eras aren’t lost,” Harper said. “We rummage so you don’t have to.”
Nipsey pointed out a pack of New Kids on The Block trading cards, as he talked about the feeling of nostalgia engrained in their business.
“It’s a lot of selling memories,” he said. “There’s a lot of people saying, ‘I didn’t know I even wanted this.’”
And while it can sometimes be hard for the pair to part with pieces of their collections, they love seeing the look on a customer’s face when something catches their eye. Although, Harper has been known to keep Michael Jackson-related finds for herself, she said with a laugh.
The pair feels that their new shop will bring a unique shopping option to the neighborhood. But outside of that, they also plan to immerse themselves in the community, showcasing local artists’ work in their shop each month and participating in events like 3rd in the Burg.
“Our biggest goal is being part of the local community,” Harper said. “This community really rallies around local businesses, and we are excited to be part of that.”
The Rummagers is located at 1419 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.therummagers.com.
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